Ferrari Mondial

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Ferrari Mondial
Manufacturer Ferrari
Parent company Fiat Group
Production 1980–1995
3,284 produced
Assembly Modena, Italy
Predecessor Ferrari 208/308 GT4
Class mid-engined 2+2
Body style(s) Coupe
Cabriolet
Related Ferrari 208/308 GTB & GTS
Ferrari 328
Ferrari 348
Mondial 8
Mondial 8
Production 1980–1982
Engine(s) 3.0 L FI V8
Mondial QV (Quattrovalvole)
Production 1982–1985
Engine(s) 3.0 L 4v V8
3.2 Mondial
Production 1985–1989
Engine(s) 3.2 L 4v V8
Mondial t
Mondial t cabriolet
Production 1989–1993
Engine(s) 3.4 L V8
Transmission(s) 5-speed manual
Valeo auto-manual

The Ferrari Mondial is a 2+2 coupe automobile produced by Ferrari from 1980 through 1993. It replaced the angular 208/308 GT4. The "Mondial" name came from Ferrari's history — the famed 500 Mondial race car of the early 1950s. Despite its predecessor being Bertone styled, the Mondial saw Ferrari return to Pininfarina for styling. It was sold as a mid-sized coupe and, eventually, a cabriolet. The Mondial was conceived as a 'usable' model, offering the practicality of four seats and the performance of a Ferrari. The car had a slightly higher roofline than its stablemates, with a single long door either side, offering easy access and good interior space, while visibility was excellent. The Mondial was produced in fairly high numbers for a Ferrari, with more than 6,800 produced in its 13-year run, and was one of Ferrari's most commercially successful models. Today a Mondial represents one of the most affordable and usable Ferrari models.

Contents

[edit] Mondial 8

The Mondial was introduced as the Mondial 8 in 1980. It was the first Ferrari to depart from the company's familiar 3-digit naming scheme and was fairly mild-performing (for a Ferrari). It used a mid/rear-mounted Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection V8, shared with the 308 GTBi/GTSi, mounted transversely. The engine was originally used in the 1973 Dino 308 GT4. The chassis was also based on the 308 GT4, but with a 100 mm (3.9 in) longer wheelbase at 2650 mm (104.3 in). The suspension was double wishbones all around.

The Mondial 8 is considered one of the marque's most reliable, inexpensive to maintain (major service can be performed without removing the entire engine/transmission subframe), and even practical cars due to its 214 hp (160 kW), proven drivetrain, and four seats.

[edit] Mondial Quattrovalvole

The first Mondial engine, although a DOHC design, used just two valves per cylinder. The 1982 Quattrovalvole or QV introduced a new 4-valve head. Again, the engine was shared with the contemporary 308 GTB/GTS QV, and produced a more respectable 240 hp (179 kW).

[edit] Mondial Cabriolet

A new Cabriolet bodystyle was added for 1983 . Body styling remained the same as the coupé variant, with the roof maintaining the 'buttress' design of the roof, though the Cabriolet required the rear seats to be mounted closer together laterally. The introduction of the Cabriolet saw the popularity of the Mondial rise, particularly in the American market, where the convertible body style was highly desirable.

[edit] 3.2 Mondial

Like the new 328 GTB, the Mondial's engine grew in both bore and stroke to 3.2 L (3185 cc) for 1985. Output was now 270 hp (201 kW).

Available in both Coupe and Cabriolet forms, styling was refreshed with restyled and body-coloured bumpers, similar to the 328, and new wheels. The 3.2 also boasted a major interior update, with a more ergonomic layout, and later cars sported ABS (1987 onwards). Fuel injection remained the primarily mechanical Bosch K-Jetronic (CIS) with an o2 sensor in the exhaust providing feedback to a simple computer for mixture trimming via a pulse modulated frequency valve that regulated control fuel pressure. Ignition system was Marelli Microplex, with electronic advance control and one distributor per bank of the V8. The 1988 Mondial 3.2 would be the final model year that retained the relatively low maintenance costs of the 308/328 drivetrain, allowing major service items like timing belt and clutch replacement to be performed with the engine/transmission package still in the car.

[edit] Mondial t

The final Mondial evolution was 1989's Mondial t (Coupe and Cabriolet). It was a substantially changed model, "spearhead of a new generation of V8 Ferraris", according to Road & Track magazine. It was visually different from preceding Mondial models, the most recogniseable being the redesign of the air intakes to a smaller, neater rectangular shape. The door-handles were of a visually different design and, along with the bumpers, became body coloured, whilst a painted black band was added around the bottom of the body.

The 't' called attention to the car's new engine/transmission layout: the previously-transverse engine was now mounted longitudinally whilst the gearbox remained transverse, thus forming a 't'. By adopting this layout, a longer engine could be mounted lower in the chassis, improving handling dramatically. The 't' configuration was used by Ferrari's Formula 1 cars of the 1980s, and would be the standard for the marque's future mid-engined V8 cars, beginning with the 348, introduced later in the year. The transverse gearbox was fitted with a Limited Slip Differential with a triple-disc clutch design with beveled gears driving the axles. Later in production, a Semi-automatic transmission termed "Valeo" was available as an option; while shifting was by means of a traditional gear lever, the clutch was actuated automatically without a clutch pedal. The engine was up to 3.4 L (3405 cc) and 300 hp (224 kW). The 3.4 liter V8 was now controlled by Bosch Motronic DME 2.5 (later DME 2.7) electronic engine management that integrated EFI and ignition control into a single computer unit. Two of these were used in the car: one for each bank of the engine. Engine lubrication was upgraded to a dry-sump system.

The Mondial's chassis would underpin a new generation of 2-seat Ferraris, right up to the 360, but the 2+2 Mondial would end production just four and a half years later in 1993. The new layout saw the engine and transmission mounted on a removable subframe; the assembly could be removed through the underside of the vehicle for maintenance. The company has not produced a mid-engined 2+2 car since, in fact front-engined V12 456 and the current 612 Scaglietti, are the company's only 4-seat vehicle offerings since.

The "t" was home to other Ferrari firsts: It used power brakes and power steering for the first time, and had a 3-position electronically controlled suspension for a variable trade off between ride quality and road holding. It also had standard ABS.

The Mondial t represented the most substantial upgrade to the Mondial model line in performance and handling since its introduction in 1980. Previous Mondials had rarely justified their price premium over the competition in terms of bare performance statistics, which led to some poor press coverage. The "t" offered greater performance whilst retaining a mid-engined layout and a practical packaging layout, and was more favorably received. Few competitors could match the Mondial's newfound agility and performance from the "t" upgrade, and the car was able to firmly compete with supercars such as the BMW 850i, Chevrolet Corvette, Honda NSX, Lotus Esprit and Porsche 911 Carrera. Whilst offering a genuine Ferrari driving experience, it had the advantage of two usable rear seats; something that a considerable number of competitors did not offer.

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  • Buckley, Martin & Rees, Chris (1998). World Encyclopedia of Cars. London: Anness Publishing. ISBN 1-84038-083-7. 
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